Container side stripe testing means

ABSTRACT

A clamping device for testing the bond of the side stripe at the side seam. The clamping device includes structure for bending the side seam into a tight hem at approximately the same location as which the side seam is bent upon double seaming.

United States Patent King et a1.

1 1 July 24, 1973 CONTAINER SIDE STRIPE TESTING MEANS Inventors: Paul II. King, Woodridge; Edward L. Skrzecz, Burbank, both of Ill.

Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, NY.

Filed: Nov. 3, 1971 Appl. No.: 195,085

Assignee:

U.S. Cl 72/409, 81/420, 113/1 R, 72/319 Int. Cl 821d 9/08 Field of Search 72/319, 320, 322, 72/409, 410; 81/418, 420, 421, 426; 29/407, 243.5, 270; 113/24 1-1, 1 R

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson 72/409 Smith 72/40) 2,677,293 5/1954 Kohler 72/409 316,461 4/1885 Huber 72/320 233,751 10/1880 Haworth 72/322 Primary ExaminerCharles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-M. J. Keenan Attorney-Fred P. Kostka et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A clamping device for testing the bond of the side stripe at the side seam. The clamping device includes structure for bending the side seam into a tight hem at approximately the same location as which the side seam is bent upon double seaming.

1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIEU JUL 24576 PAUL H. K/N EDWA/QDL SK QZECZ CONTAINER SIDE STRIPE TESTING MEANS PRIOR ART The present invention relates to apparatus for testing the side seam of a container body and more particularly to an apparatus for testing the side striping of a welded side seam container.

It is common practice, particularly in the manufacture of cans having a side seam formed by welding, to side stripe the container at the side seam. The side stripe serves to provide a coating which prevents leakage and protects the container contents from exposure with the raw edge of the seam and thereby contamination of the contents.

The side stripe generally comprises polymer resin powders that are applied as by fusing or the like to the inside and/or the outside seam areas. For a more detailed description of one way of applying the stripe to the side seam, reference is made to US. Pat. No. 3,526,027 issued Sept. l, 1970.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By the present invention it is proposed to provide a means for determining whether the side stripe is adequately bonded to the seam and capable of withstanding the stresses associated with the normal handling of the can during the assembly thereof.

It is well known that the maximum stress is applied on the side seam during the double seaming of the end closure to the can body. Double seaming requires that the container be sharply bent closely adjacent the ends of the can body. It is essential that the side stripe material be bonded so as to be capable of withstanding the The tool comprises generally a pair clamping plates of which one of the plates includes a first recess extending along wedge and having an end wall spaced from the edge for limiting the distance .whichthe strip of the seamed length of a can body may be introduced. This distance is substantially equal tothe distance that the double seam bend occurs from the end of the body. The strip is bent about the edge of the recess previously formed. A second recess and a stop plate for engaging the bend line is also provided on the clamping plate for folding the bent end portion of the side seam into a tight hem thereby to simulate the conditions occurring at the seam during double seaming of an end closure to the can body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the seam and side stripe testing tool embodying the structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the tool taken generally along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the length of a side seam removed from a container body for testing the side stripe applied thereon.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the length of side strip inserted between the clamping plates in the closed position and showing the bent strip in phantom lines.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the stripe as bent in FIG. 6 inserted between the clamping plates prior to closing the clamping plates.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the clamping plates closed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the length of side seam after testing.

Referring now to the drawings the seam testing tool 10 of the present invention comprises a toggle pliers 11 or pinchers having an upper jaw 12 and a lower jaw 13, Fixed to the upper and lower jaws l2 and 13, respectively, as by welding, brazing or the like are plates 14 and 15. A second plate 16 is suitably fixed to the plate 15 in overlying relationship therewith.

A clamping plate 17 is secured to the second plate 15 by bolts 18 and includes a recess 19 extending along the front edge thereof. As shown, the recess or groove 19 extends inwardly from the forward face 20 and terminates in a wall or shoulder 21 against which the end edge of a can strip L is adapted to abutt.

The recess 19 along one corner is formed to provide recess 22 of greater depth than the remaining length thereof. A vertically disposed stop plate 23 is attached to the forward face of the clamping .plate 17 in alignment with the recess 22 by means of screws 24.

A top clamping plate 26 is suitably fixed to the plate 14 as by means of brazing or welding. The top clamping plate 26 has a substantially flat or planar surface on the underside thereof. An opening 28 in the plate 27 loosely accommodates a guide bolt 29 that is threaded into the clamping plate 17. The guide bolt 29 serves maintain the upper and lower clamping plates 26 and 27 in alignment.

The testing tool 10 is intended for primarily for testing the adhesion. or bond of the side striping on a welded can body. To this end a length L of a side seam S of a can body is severed therefrom. The side seam S is a lap seam welded along the length thereof. Bonded to the container and overlying. the lap seam is the side stripe T which may be a polymeric resin powder.

To test the bond of the side stripe T, the length L of the side seam S is inserted into the forward end of the clamping plates 17 and 26 into the recess 19 until the end edge abutts 'the shoulder 21. The length L of the a side seam is then bent upwardly to the phantom line po sition. In this connection, it should be mentioned that the distance between the shoulder 21 and the front face 20 of the clamping plates is substantially equal to the distance from the edge at which the can body is bent during formation of the double seam. Thus a bend line B is formed in the length L at substantially the same location at which maximum bending occurs during doubling seam of the end closure of the can body.

The partially bent length L is then inserted into the recess 22 at the opposite end of the clamping plate 17 as shown in FIG. 7 with the bend line B adjacent the stop plate. The plates are then closed so that the bent L is folded tightly into a hem as shown in FIG. 9. The tightly folded end simulates to conditions imposed on the end during double seaming. The bend end of the length L is then visually inspected to check for cracks and non-adherance of the side striping to the seamed area. If such faults are discovered, the procedure for applying the side stripe is modified to produce satisfactory results We claim:

' l. A tool for testing the bond of a side stripe at the side seam of a can body, said tool comprising clamping 7 means including a first clamping plate having a recess extending along one edge thereof for receiving a length of the side seam of-a can body, said recess including a first length of one depth and a second length of a depth greater than said one depth, a shoulder extending along the entire length of said recess and spaced from said one edge a distance substantially the same as the distance about which one end ofa side seam is bent during double seaming of an end closure on to said body, a second clamping plate for clamping the side seam in said recess with one end of the seam abutting said shoulder so that said length of side seam may be bent about said one edge, an upstanding face on said one edge extending along said length of recess of greater depth for engaging the side seam at the bend previously formed thereon so that upon closing of said clamping means the side seam is folded about said bend into a tight hem. 

1. A tool for testing the bond of a side stripe at the side seam of a can body, said tool comprising clamping means including a first clamping plate having a recess extending along one edge thereof for receiving a length of the side seam of a can body, said recess including a first length of one depth and a second length of a depth greater than saiD one depth, a shoulder extending along the entire length of said recess and spaced from said one edge a distance substantially the same as the distance about which one end of a side seam is bent during double seaming of an end closure on to said body, a second clamping plate for clamping the side seam in said recess with one end of the seam abutting said shoulder so that said length of side seam may be bent about said one edge, an upstanding face on said one edge extending along said length of recess of greater depth for engaging the side seam at the bend previously formed thereon so that upon closing of said clamping means the side seam is folded about said bend into a tight hem. 